Taking Flight
by lonegaywolf
Summary: Rell is a timid Rito, content with living peacefully in his village with his friends and family. However, when a strange fog begins to descend upon Hyrule, Rell is forced to leave behind the safety of his previous life in search of answers.
1. Old Friends

"Good morning, Aiki," Rell said, smiling at the old, blue-feathered Rito behind the counter.

"Ah, good morning, Rell," she replied. "How are you today?

"The same as ever, I guess. How are you?" he asked.

"Tired, but that's not anything new for someone of my age." Aiki motioned for him to follow her into the back, where she then pointed to lumps of unkneaded dough. "Help me with this. Afterwards, I'd like you to take care of a delivery."

Rell nodded, and the two got to work. "How's your family? I heard your father got a nasty cut yesterday," Aiki said.

"He's doing better. It wasn't that deep, really. His pride is probably hurt more than anything," he laughed.

"Hm. You're like two ends of a spectrum, you and your father. He throws all caution to the wind as though he has no idea what the word 'careful' means. Why a man like that decided to get into a hobby involving knives is beyond me. You, on the other hand, seem to gather up all the caution your father throws out and keep it for yourself."

"I know. Sorry..." Rell muttered.

She waved her hand dismissively, scattering a bit of flour. "Bah. You don't need to apologize, boy; you just need to be more daring. Leave the village for a bit, ask for more fighting lessons, ask a boy out on a date, do _something_. Just don't sit in your home wasting your youth because you're too afraid something will happen."

"But something _could_ happen."

She stopped kneading and looked at him. "Of course it could, Rell, and it most definitely will, but why does that mean life isn't worth living?"

"That's not really encouraging," he said.

"If life was encouraging, it would be easy. That's why we have to encourage ourselves. Even when bad things happen, all we can do is pick ourselves up and keep living." She returned her attention to the dough. "And speaking of doing it ourselves, we should stop chattering away like songbirds and finish this. Otherwise, we're going to get a lot of people who are angry they haven't gotten their bread."

They remained silent as they finished their task. After washing their hands, Aiki handed him a box. "Deliver this to Fuga's family," she instructed. "And do try to be quicker than last time; I got a complaint that the bread didn't arrive soon enough. I know you aren't the fastest Rito out there, but I see no reason you can't pick up the pace just a little."

"S-sorry. I'll do my best," he stuttered, heading out the door.

The chilly wind of the Rito village brushed lightly against his feathers. With a slight shiver, he hugged the box close to his chest and set off. The mountain village was on the large side, but having lived there his whole life, Rell was able to navigate it quite easily. It wasn't particularly hard in the first place, though, as there were several landmarks and signs to help. The village was sizable, but not complex. Cold, but welcoming. High up, but reachable. Mystical, but sensible. Imperfect, yet perfect. It was a place of paradoxes, now that he thought about it, but he and the rest of its inhabitants found that to be just fine. Rell often wondered if the other places in Hyrule were like that. Even if they were, though, it's not like he could visit them.

Aiki's words suddenly rang in his mind. _Do something. Don't just sit at home because you're afraid._

Well, easier said than done.

He knocked on the door to a two story house overlooking the side of a cliff. A wooden deck extended out over the side, fenced around the edges save for a space directly in the middle. Rell stared at it wistfully for a few seconds before the door opened, revealing a Rito woman with green feathers.

"Oh, Rell! Hello there!" she said cheerily. "Come in and have a cup of tea!"

"I wish I could, Essila, but I'm working today, so I can't stay long," he stated, stepping inside and setting the box down on a nearby table. "Here's the bread you ordered."

"Thank you, Rell. But you can stay as long as you'd like, you know. If Aiki gets mad, just tell her you're chatting up the customer. It's good for business," she smiled.

"I can't. I doubt she'll go for that," he replied quickly.

"Ah...sorry, I was only joking."

"Oh. Right. Um...how's Fuga?" he asked, trying to break the awkwardness.

Essila sat down at the table and opened the box. "You tell me. You're probably around him more than I am these days." Her tone was polite, but Rell thought she sounded just a little bitter.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean-" he began. Essila quickly looked up at him.

"Oh, goddesses no! That's not what I meant!" she exclaimed. "I'm not upset with you at all! I'm sorry, Rell, I only meant that he's been so busy with his guard duty the past few weeks that I feel like I don't see him much anymore. By the time he returns home it's very late, and when I wake up, he's already gone."

"They have put him on more than usual, yeah," he agreed. "But I mean, it's an important job, right? And if it makes you feel better, I don't get to see him much either. I tried visiting him once, and the other guard yelled at me..."

She smiled and took some bread out of the box, carrying it into the kitchen. She then came back, closed it up again, and handed it to Rell. "Well then, here. Take the rest of this to Fuga. Surely they won't be upset at you for bringing one of our faithful guards some fresh bread for all his hard work."

"I...I don't know..." he mumbled. "What if they do get upset? And what about you? Don't you want to see him?"

"Then you tell them to take it up with me and Aiki," she replied softly. "I do want to, yes, but I'm sure the other guard will think bread doesn't need two people to deliver it, and I know how important you are to each other. He didn't give you that band for nothing, after all." She nodded at the strap of leather Rell wore around the upper part of his arm near his shoulder, of which a single green feather was intertwined. "Now go on, and tell Fuga I said hello!"

Against his better judgment, Rell started to make his way to the village entrance, where Fuga was often stationed that time of day. On the way, he stopped at the bakery to tell Aiki what he was doing.

"Fuga? I see. In that case, you can have the next hour off. I know you haven't seen him much lately," she said, not glancing up from the dough she was making. "Give him my regards. Just make sure to come back here when you're finished. There's still work to be done!"

As he stepped back outside, he felt conflicted; on one hand, he had secretly hoped she would say he was needed at the bakery so that he wouldn't have to go. On the other, he was looking forward to being with his best friend again, as it had been weeks since they saw each other outside of a quick greeting whenever Fuga happened to pass him on his patrols. In the end, the desire to see him won, so he once again went off towards the village gate.

The gate itself, somewhat to the amusement of the Rito, was nothing more than a relatively tall wooden door that was kept open during the day with a spiked wooden fence extending from either side. Even when closed, it did absolutely nothing to keep out those who were able to simply fly over it, but the purpose wasn't to keep the Rito out anyway, so nobody saw a reason to change it. Two guards dressed in armor stood a little past the gate, one on each side and both carrying spears. The left guard was a stern-looking, light blue feathered woman who stared straight ahead until catching a glimpse of Rell out of the corner of her eye, scowling when she saw him. The one on the right was a young man roughly the same age as Rell and the same height, but with green feathers instead of red like his own. The feathers on his head also stuck up more in the front as opposed to Rell's, which were angled backwards. The young man was also more built than him due to his guard training, a look Rell was still getting used to.

"We're busy," the other guard grunted once he approached them.

"I'm here to deliver something to Fuga," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. The guard glared at him but didn't say anything else, so he quickly turned to the green Rito and held out the box. "Here. I delivered bread to your mom this morning, and she figured you'd like some of it since you've been working so hard. Also, she says hello."

"Oh. Tell her I said thank you and that I'm sorry I haven't seen her much these days," he replied, taking the box. "It's been a while, Rell. How have you been?"

"You know, the same as ever," Rell laughed nervously. "Mostly just trying to find a way to spend my time now that you're always so busy. My job at the bakery only does so much."

Fuga glanced at the other guard, who immediately shook her head. "No. I'm not going to cover for you," she growled. "We're paid to protect the village, not waste time with any friend that comes through here."

"You get paid?" Fuga asked. The other guard looked at him as though he had gone insane.

"...yes? And so do you...?"

"He was, um...making a joke," said Rell quietly. She looked at him the same way she had just looked at Fuga. He resisted the urge to hide behind his friend.

"Fuga? _Make a joke?_ I didn't know that was possible." True, Fuga was not known for being particularly sociable, nor for his humor. If anything, he was more well known for his stoic attitude and no-nonsense approach to things, but this was mostly due to people simply not understanding how he talked. He certainly kept his emotions in check more than some, and his voice was deep and quiet, rarely having much inflection, so it was easy to assume he never attempted humor, but Rell knew this wasn't the case.

Fuga gestured to the box Rell had given him. "Anyway, I believe I was just handed a suspicious box. If I remember correctly, it's required that I investigate its contents, preferably away from the village so as to minimize potential harm to citizens or buildings. Am I wrong, Osso?"

"You know as well as I do that there's bread in there!" she snapped.

"Can you prove that without opening it?"

"Yeah, it was given to you by Rell, the local coward. You really think he's brave enough to-"

Osso was interrupted by a spear coming dangerously close to her face, the tip mere centimeters away. "If you want to stay intact, I suggest you be quiet. _Now,_ " said Fuga calmly.

"Woah! T-threatening a guard? You're g-going to get in a lot of t-trouble, Fuga!" she stammered.

He tightened his grip on the spear. "I threaten you because you are actively attempting to prevent me from investigating the contents of this box, which, for all either of us know, could be incredibly dangerous. I will not take the safety of this village lightly. Now, is there anything else you'd like to say?" When she remained silent, he withdrew the spear and glanced at Rell. "Of course, I can't give you permission to come with me. I have to look into this _alone_. Do you understand, Rell?"

"Yeah, completely," he grinned.

"Great. I'll see both of you right here when I've made sure it's safe," he said, walking away from the village. Rell waited a moment, doing his best to ignore Osso's scathing glare. He then followed Fuga's path which took him to a cliff where a single tree was growing with long branches that extended out over the side. Fuga was sitting on the edge, dangling his feet over the side, his spear lying on the ground nearby.

"Want to share the bread?" he asked as Rell sat down on his left.

"If it's really bread in there, sure," he replied with a wink.

Fuga gave a small smile as he opened it and broke the bread in half, giving it to Rell. "You don't have to worry about me getting in trouble, by the way. I'm technically not breaking any rules; I investigated the box and found it contained nothing but delicious bread, and I did say you weren't supposed to come along. The fact that you chose to on your own isn't my responsibility. As for pointing my spear at Osso, the most I'll get is reprimanded for overreacting, but it was in the interest of the village's safety, so there's really nothing they can do in the end."

"Good," he replied. "Is it really okay for you to take time away from your post, though?"

"Truthfully? No, which is why I don't plan on staying too long. Still, it's been a while since we've talked properly, and it's not like Osso is incompetent, so I decided ten minutes or so couldn't hurt. I have to admit, sometimes I wish we could go back to when we were young and all of this wasn't an issue."

Rell laughed. "Young? We're barely in our twenties! Most of the village elders would kill you for saying something like that."

"Yes, I suppose you're right." He looked up at the tree. "Remember when we used to hop off that tree and fly down to the base of the mountain? The branches were just big enough for us. Now, they'd probably break if we tried."

"That's why we started jumping off your parent's deck," Rell nodded. His eyes wandered to his left wing for a split second before changing to focus on Fuga. "But even besides that, we still had a lot of fun together just roaming around or getting ourselves into trouble in the village. You know, I never understood why people think you're so serious." He gently nudged his friend.

Fuga shrugged. "They likely equate silence and composure with being dull. In reality, I was often just coming up with ways to cause more trouble."

"Yeah, that's why they'd always blame me," Rell huffed.

"They stopped eventually, though I suppose the reason didn't justify the payoff. Speaking of which, I've been meaning to ask. How's-"

"It's fine. Hasn't changed, but...still doesn't bother me," he muttered.

Fuga placed his hand on Rell's back. "You don't have to lie, you know," he said gently.

"I'm not lying. Really."

"Rell."

"Seriously, it's okay. Look, can we please talk about something else?"

Fuga sighed and laid on his back, his arms behind his head and his legs crossed. "I wish I was able to see you more. It's been lonely without you."

"O-oh. I mean, it's been kinda boring without you, as well," he stuttered, feeling himself blush.

"That's not what I meant. It has been more boring, true, but I meant with all these extra shifts, I feel like we're growing more distant from each other, and I don't want that."

"Why don't you ask for less shifts, then?"

"I tried. I love my job, I really do, but it's not all that matters to me. I have limits and needs just like everyone else. When I brought this up, they said it was necessary and told me to take the shifts or quit. As tired as I felt, I decided it was best to just get over myself and do it."

"What do they mean by 'necessary'?"

He sat up, looking more serious than ever. "I found that strange as well. If you want my opinion, I'll give it, but you're not going to like what I say."

"Tell me."

Fuga paused. "...if you insist. Well, it doesn't make sense that they would just put us on extra shifts and leave it there. Something must be coming, an attack or a threat. That said, surely it'd make more sense for us to know about it so we can prepare ourselves, right? But we haven't been told anything. I've been losing what little sleep I get thinking about this, and the only thing that makes sense is that we're meant to minimize the damage once it happens, not stop whatever is coming. If we were meant to stop it, I feel we'd have been told more."

"But...what are they preparing for, though?"

"I have no idea. It's not like we've done anything to warrant an attack, at least not that I'm aware of."

"Who would even do it? Who would attack us?"

"Again, I don't know."

"But it's not like the Rito village has anything of value or has done anything bad! What's the point?"

"I don't know, Rell."

"How do we even know they're right, that we are going to get hit by something?

"Rell. I. Don't. Know."

"You have to know something!"

He whipped around to face Rell. " _I said I don't know!_ " he snapped.

The two sat there for a minute, unsure of what to say next. A few tears formed in Rell's eyes. Fuga's expression instantly softened.

"Goddesses, I'm...I'm so sorry, Rell. I didn't mean to yell at you," he muttered, hugging the other Rito tightly. "I've been running on so little sleep and been under so much stress lately, and I guess it all surfaced at once, but that doesn't make it right."

Rell leaned into the hug and returned it. "No...it's okay, I understand. And I'm sorry for crying, but it's scary seeing you like that. You never get angry, so to see you that upset just...hurts. Are you scared?"

Fuga broke the hug. "No, I'm just...tired. I know I can't stop it from happening, but that doesn't mean I won't try, and the village won't get any safer if I'm scared. It's my job to protect everyone. To protect _you_."

He blushed again. "M-me?"

"Yes. You're my closest friend, and I care about you more than anyone or anything. It's why I gave you that band, remember?"

"Yeah, but that was years and years ago, and...I don't know, recently I figured maybe you didn't feel that way anymore," he mumbled. "Like you, I thought we were drifting apart, and I got scared."

"Then why continue to wear it?"

"Because I hoped to Din I was wrong."

Fuga smiled. "You are. That's why I've kept this." He pulled out a necklace from underneath his shirt, a string with a broken piece of a wood carving as a pendant. "I still feel bad that I dropped the carving you made for me, but, in my defense, I wasn't aware wood might break if accidentally dropped from several hundred feet. Plus, it gave me a necklace to remember you by when I got lonely."

"I'm glad you got something out of it. Still, it wasn't exactly thick wood, Fuga. It was kind of hollow."

"Sounds like shoddy craftsmanship to me."

"Watch it, or you'll be the one falling from the air at several hundred feet. Then I'll have to gather up your pieces like I did with the carving."

"Are you implying I'm hollow and poorly made?"

"Well, I wouldn't say you're poorly made, but hollow is up for debate."

"I feel like most people would agree with you, especially Osso now that I've nearly impaled her. I'll have to sleep with one eye open now."

"Think she'll impale you for irony's sake or go for a more subtle approach?"

Fuga laughed. "Knowing her, she'd go with the spear, though less for the sake of irony and more out of pure malice. Anyway, the point I was trying to make before we began discussing my untimely death via Osso was that there's much I would do to protect the village, but I would do anything to protect you. You mean the world and more to me. If I lost my home, I'd hurt for the rest of my life. If I lost you..." He looked away. "...Rell? This is a bit sudden, but...can I tell you something?"

"Yeah, of course!" he replied. "Anything!"

For a few seconds he went silent, trying to find the right words. "...Rell, I've been thinking about it a lot recently, and I don't know if it it's even okay for me to say this..."

"Whatever it is, I'm sure it's fine," he said gently. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, though."

"I want to!" he exclaimed. "I mean...you know what, I'll just say it. Rell, I-"

Before he could continue, a loud horn blasted from the direction of the village. Fuga sprang to his feet and grabbed his spear. "Din, that's the alarm! Something is happening back at the village!"

"Do you think it's what everyone was so worried about...?" asked Rell, his voice trembling.

"Maybe, but even if not, I'm still needed! Damn it, I'm sorry to leave you like this, but please, stay here until I return! You'll be safer where you are!" With that, Fuga fastened the spear to his back and took off into the air, flying towards their home. Rell made sure he was out of sight before sprinting back up the path.

 _Sorry, Fuga, but I can't just stay here while you put yourself in danger. You wouldn't let me do it, and I won't let you._


	2. The Fog

As he ran, he went through the possibilities. Could it be a fire? No, they'd have seen smoke. Was someone hurt? The alarm wouldn't ring just for that. Someone must be attacking the village, but who? Bandits? No, they were too out of the way for most bandits to bother. An army? Who'd send an army after them? Besides, they hadn't gotten word of Hyrule going to war. So if not an army and not bandits, who?

Once he arrived at the village, he discovered that "who" was not the question, but "what". A thick white fog coming up to his waist had settled over the ground. It felt slightly cold and didn't disperse even when the wind blew. Oddly, it only covered the area leading up to the village and inside; the path he had just come from was free of it.

 _This isn't normal fog. What the hell is going on here...?_

The gate, now unmanned, was still wide open. He rushed inside, stopping in his tracks as he witnessed the scene before him. Skeletal creatures with glowing white dots for eyes were rising up out of the ground, some with weapons, some unarmed. They varied in height and form, most looking as though they once belonged to Bokoblins or Moblins but others bearing an unsettling resemblance to more humanoid skeletons. They marched through the city, using bows with arrows lit on fire to set buildings ablaze. Right as it was bringing up its axe to swing into the side of a house, a Bokoblin skeleton turned around and saw Rell standing at the village gates, paralyzed with fear. It slowly made its way towards him.

 _Goddesses...what's happening? No, no, I can't move! Oh, Din, I'm going to die...! Help, Din, please help...!_

As though in answer to his prayer, Rell suddenly regained control over himself and darted behind a nearby shop. He hesitantly peeked out the other side to see the skeleton make a few steps towards the house, pause, and then turn around to march off in another direction. He sank to the ground, breathing heavily.

 _Why didn't it come after me? Goddesses, who cares? At least it's gone...but wait, what about my parents? Dad knows how to fight, I'm sure he's okay._ He shook his head. _But what if he's not? What if he and mom-ugh no! I don't have time for that! I need to go check. Besides, my bow is at home, and I'm useless to anyone without it. Not like I have much else going for me..._

He stood up and, using the buildings as cover, ran towards his house. He kept telling himself that everyone, his parents and Fuga in particular, were perfectly fine. The further he got, however, the less sure of this he became; several homes had already been destroyed, and when he passed the bakery, he found it completely engulfed in flame. He tried to go inside, but both doors and all the windows were blocked by fire.

Damn it...Din, let Aiki be okay... he pleaded, continuing on. His house, he was relieved to see, was mostly unharmed, but the door had been busted open. He dashed inside.

"Mom! Dad!" he called out.

"Rell? We're up here!" his mother's voice shouted from the second floor. He sighed with relief and ran up the stairs to find the two of them had barricaded themselves in their room. The door could only be opened just enough for him to see a sliver of her eye looking back at him. "Oh, thank the goddesses! Honey, he's okay! Hold on, we'll unblock the door."

"I saw the front door. Are you okay? Why didn't you fly away?" he asked frantically.

"Yes, sweetie, we're fine. We heard it get smashed in, but we were both upstairs at the time and kept silent, so they must have thought we weren't home. We stayed because we weren't sure if you were okay, and we didn't want to leave you. You aren't hurt, are you?"

"No, I'm okay. I was outside the village with Fuga when we heard the alarm."

His mother disappeared behind the door. "Honey, help me move this! Rell, is Fuga okay?"

"I don't know. He flew off on his own. I'm going to go find him," Rell answered. She instantly reappeared at the door.

"Like hell you are!" she growled. "I'm not going to let you go out there on your own!"

"And I'm not going to let Fuga be out there on his own!"

"Rell, just come inside and stay with us!" his father said, peering through the opening as well. "I'm sure Fuga will be okay. He has training, after all. You don't."

"I know how to use a bow! And you taught me to use a sword, remember?"

His mother shook her head. "You know the basics of them, but do you really think that's enough to stop those things? Even your father would struggle out there, and he was in the Hylian military!"

"Hey!" her husband grunted. She ignored him and looked at Rell with pleading eyes.

"Stay with us where it's safe. I'm begging you."

"I'm sorry, but I can't. You said it yourself, mom. Even dad wouldn't be safe. If he isn't, then neither is Fuga."

Suddenly, a loud yell broke through the chaos. " _Get off of me! I won't go with you!_ "

Rell's heart sank. He recognized the voice instantly.

 _Din, no..._

Immediately, Rell turned and ran to his own room. Against the wall next to his bed was the bow his he made when he first learned archery and a quiver full of arrows.

 _I never wanted to use this for fighting, but if that's what it takes to help him..._

He grabbed the quiver and slung it over his back. He then grabbed the bow, strung it as quickly as possible, and sprinted out of his room and back down the steps.

"Rell? Where are you going? Rell!?" his mother shouted as he passed.

"That was Fuga! I have to help him!" he replied, stopping at the foot of the stairs.

"You can't! You'll just get yourself hurt, or worse!" his father said, joining his wife at the door. "Please, Rell! Just stay here!"

"I won't leave Fuga out there by himself! I promise I'll come back!" Without saying another word, he dashed out of the house, ignoring his parent's cries. Once outside, he scanned the area, looking for any sign of a struggle. _That yell was close, I know it. So where...?_

Unfortunately, finding hints regarding his whereabouts proved more difficult than he anticipated; the fog completely obscured the ground, making footsteps or other clues impossible to see.

Fuga's voice rang out again. " _Let me go! Damn it! Where are you taking me!?_ " His yells were growing more distant, but it sounded as though he was still in the village. Rell moved in the direction they were coming from, doing his best to pretend that the large shapes he felt against his feet every so often were just mannequins from a store that had been raided. The screams of not only Fuga but of the other inhabitants of the village grew louder as he progressed, occasionally accompanied by the sound of something large breaking or even worse, a thud followed by a scream going silent.

 _Din, why is this happening...? What did we do to deserve this?_

" _Someone! Help!_ " a new voice called out. He whirled around to find Aiki backed against a building with her wings over her head and surrounded by skeletons, each with a weapon pointed at her. He drew an arrow and aimed at one of them, but his hands shook so badly that it was impossible to keep the bow steady. He fired an arrow that missed its target by several inches and struck the wall instead. Although they had not been hurt, it was enough to draw their attention. They quickly turned to find the source of the arrow and began to converge on him, their bones giving an unsettling rattle with each step. Rell backed away, trying to shoot more arrows but unable to aim well enough to hit. He felt the back of his foot hit something, which turned out to be another wall. With nowhere else to go, he quickly became surrounded by the skeletons. Rell closed his eyes, bracing himself for the worst...

"Hey! Over here, you dead fucks!" someone shouted, followed by the sound of a thud. He opened his eyes to find Osso with a bow in her hand, doubled over in pain from the still bleeding wound on her stomach but keeping her attention on the skeletons. One of them, he noticed, was missing its head. Osso fired several more arrows, each hitting its mark and causing the heads of the skeletons to fly off. They fell to the ground and vanished into the fog.

"Osso! Are you okay?" he asked, rushing over to her.

"I'll be fine," she grunted, dropping to her knees and clutching her wound. "Found out their weakness soon enough. Just take out the head, and it's gone. Figured a bow was better for that than a spear, so I ran to the barracks. Still, one of those fuckers got me pretty good when I came out. I don't think it's deep, but it hurts like hell. Ugh...for right now, though, I'm more worried about Aiki. Go check on her."

He nodded, going over to the other Rito and kneeling down beside her. She had uncovered her head and was sitting against the wall, breathing heavily. "Aiki? Are you alright?"

"I...I think so, yes, thank you," she replied slowly. "They took my by surprise. If you and Osso hadn't shown up when you did..." She shook her head. "By the goddesses, Rell, what's happening? This fog came out of nowhere, and before we knew it, these things were rising up out of the ground and attacking us...! Most of us were able to get away, and the ones who refused to leave barricaded themselves in their homes. Only the guards and a few unlucky ones like myself are still outside. Wait...now that I think about it, why are you out here, you foolish boy!?"

"Me? What about _you_? Why didn't you just fly away?"

"Well, I would have loved to, but I was busy focusing on the fact that skeletons were trying to kill me!" she growled. "Forgive me if the logical course wasn't the first thing on my mind!"

He sighed impatiently. "Alright, fine. I'm out here because I'm looking for Fuga. I heard him yelling for help. Did you see him?"

Her expression became somber. "Din help that poor boy, I saw him being dragged that way by some skeletons, towards the village entrance. I wanted to help him, but I had no weapon, so I tried running back to my house-"

He jumped to his feet. "I'm sorry, Aiki, but I don't have time! You can tell me about it later! Just take Osso and get yourselves out of here!" he exclaimed, running off towards the entrance. Fuga's yells started to grow louder again and became more frantic.

" _I won't go with you! You can't do this! LET GO OF ME! Help!_ "

He arrived just in time to see two particularly large skeletons each holding one of Fuga's arms, dragging him along as though they could not notice his constant efforts to escape. They had not left the village yet, but were mere steps away.

" _Let go of him!_ " he cried, readying his bow and trying to suppress his shakiness. The skeletons stopped moving and turned their heads but made no move toward him. Fuga, who had also looked around at the sound of the yell, saw Rell and resumed his attempts at wrenching himself free.

"Damn it, Rell! I told you to wait by the cliff!" he snapped, pulling his wings as hard as he could. He gasped. " _Rell! Behind you!_ "

Several pairs of skeletal hands reached out from behind him and grabbed his arms. "No! Get away from me...!"Rell growled, doing his best to shake them off. As soon as one lost its grip, however, another took its place, wrestling with him until they managed to pry the bow from him and toss it aside. They then shoved him to the ground and held his hands behind his back, forcing him to watch as the larger skeletons resumed their march out of the village. The moment they stepped foot outside, they stopped and turned around to face him. They slowly began to descend into the fog, taking Fuga with them.

" _W-what? No! Rell!_ " he cried out.

" _FUGA!_ " Rell screamed, using every ounce of his strength attempting to escape, but the skeletons were much stronger than he was. He pushed and pulled and kicked and squirmed but to no avail. In the end, he could do nothing but watch as his friend sank deeper and deeper into the fog, his screams for Rell growing more distant until, finally, they stopped.

" _DAMN IT, NO! FUGA! FUGA!_ " The skeletons let go of him. He instantly sprinted forward to where they had vanished, crouching down and digging at the ground desperately, still calling out for his friend. He didn't even notice the sound of Aiki and Osso calling out his own name, nor the sound of several people running up to him. He only stopped digging when they grabbed him and forced him away. He tried wrenching himself out of their grasp, but a few extra pairs of hands appeared and grabbed him as well. " _NO! LET GO! I HAVE TO HELP HIM!_ "

"He's gone, Rell," Osso said, her tone much softer than usual.

" _HE'S NOT GONE!_ "

Aiki looked down at him, a few tears running down her face. "I'm sorry Rell. I'm so sorry...but he is. You know he is."

" _I CAN STILL SAVE HIM! I CAN'T LET THEM TAKE HIM AWAY!_ " But even as he said it, he knew it wasn't true. Fuga was gone. They had taken him, and there was nothing he could do about it. He fell to his knees, burying his head in his hands. Then, he screamed. And when he was able to scream no longer, he cried. A torrent of tears fell, his sobs occasionally interrupted by Fuga's name and semi-comprehensible apologies. Aiki took a step towards him, but Osso put a hand on her shoulder and shook her head. And so he continued, watched by the others, until his crying exhausted him physically and mentally. He collapsed, barely aware of being picked up by several others, and by the time they had started to carry him off, he had fallen unconscious.


	3. Parting Ways

Rell awoke, but he didn't open his eyes. His body, though now lying on something soft, still felt weighed down and stiff, and his mind remained hazy. He heard a few voices, though he couldn't tell who they belonged to.

"...want to be a bother, but...do you think he'll be okay?" one asked.

"I don't know. What happened will undoubtedly take a toll on him," the other voice responded. "Fuga and Rell have known each other since they were babies. Losing him will probably feel like part of his soul has been ripped out." They sighed. "I cannot help but wonder if this is my fault. I kept what Dei told me a secret because I thought it wouldn't be taken seriously. Perhaps if I had just been honest-"

"If you had been honest, there would be a lot more explaining to do," the first voice cut in. His mind had cleared just slightly, and he was able to recognize the voice as belonging to Aiki.

"If it meant preventing all of this, that's a price I'm willing to pay...and one I believe I should pay sooner rather than later," said the other person, who, to Rell's confusion, he also recognized.

 _That's one of the village elders, isn't it? Wait...Elder Kaeta? Why is he here...?_

Aiki gasped. "You aren't thinking of telling Rell about this, are you?" she asked.

"Why shouldn't I?" Kaeta replied. "He has a right to know why his best friend was taken away from him, does he not?"

"Well, yes, but..."

"Are you afraid he'll do something rash?"

"Of course not. Rell hasn't had an ounce of bravery for years. I'm just worried he'll be more upset. You know what young people are like these days, Kaeta; they wear their hearts on their sleeves, and I don't know how much more he can take."

Rell opened his eyes. He had been taken back to his house and was lying in his bed, his bow and quiver placed neatly against the wall. Aiki stood near his door along with a large Rito man with gray feathers who wore a colorful robe. The two glanced over and, seeing he was awake, moved to stand by his bed.

"How are you feeling?" Aiki asked gently.

"Fine," he answered, sitting up and staring down at the bed. "Elder Kaeta. You said you know why Fuga was taken."

"So you heard that," he sighed. "I will tell you, but you must promise me that you will not do anything unnecessary as a result."

Rell nodded.

Aiki shook her head. "No, it's too early! The boy has just woken up, and he's had a bad enough day already! You can tell him when he's had a chance to-"

"Aiki. Let him speak," he said quietly, still not looking at her.

"Rell, just-"

"Aiki." He looked into her eyes. His own, she discovered, had completely lost their spark. His eyelids were heavy, and their light blue may as well have faded to a dull gray. "Please."

"I...alright, fine," she muttered.

Kaeta sat down on the bed (it groaned underneath his weight, but neither of them paid much attention to it). "You know who Dei is, right?" he asked.

"Yes. She's another of the village Elders."

"Indeed. Well, there is something you don't know about her, something that very few in this village know. Dei is... _gifted_ ," he explained.

"How does this relate to Fuga?" Rell asked.

"I'm getting there," Kaeta replied. "Since Dei was young, she's had the ability to-"

Just then, the door opened. A female Rito wearing colorful robes similar to Kaeta's walked in, though she was a good bit shorter and slightly less wide. Around her neck was a necklace made up of light blue gemstones. She carried herself differently than Kaeta; while the latter stood upright with authority, Dei was relaxed and almost graceful.

"Ah, Dei! We were just talking about you," Kaeta said, standing up.

"I know," she said. Her voice, like her posture, was far less rigid than the other elder's. "It think it would be easier for me to explain."

Kaeta's place on the bed was taken by Dei. "Hello, Rell. I don't believe we've officially met. I'm Dei, one of the Rito Elders," she said.

"We haven't, no, but I know that already. Do you know something about what happened?" he replied.

"To explain that, I must first explain myself." She gazed around the room. "What a quaint space. Nothing like my own quarters. In any case, as Kaeta was about to explain, I've been blessed by the goddesses with a certain...gift. To put it simply, I can see the futures."

Rell stared at her. "...don't you mean future?"

"No. _Futures_. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's see...it started when I was a young girl. I noticed that, when I was completely relaxed, I began to have these images in my mind. They were often similar in certain ways, but very different in others. For instance, one image was of my father coming out to see me as I played in the village. Sometimes, he would trip over a toy that a child had left out. Other times, the toy would not be there at all, and he would not trip. I also saw times where he happened to look down, see the toy, and step over it. The next day, as I was playing, I saw the toy on the ground just where I had seen it in my mind. I decided to leave it there. When my father came out later, he did not see the toy and ended up tripping. Do you see where I'm going with this?"

"So...you're saying that you can see every possible future?"

"Yes...and no. Theoretically, if I had enough time, I could go through every future and determine how to get to the most favorable one. However, there are more variables than either of us could imagine, so doing that would take a lifetime for a single future. My abilities have sped up considerably with practice, but even still. There are more simple scenarios where it may not take as long, like in the story I told you; had I picked up the toy and moved it, the vision where he did not trip would have come to pass. That's all there is to it. In other cases, it's not as easy. This is my gift, Rell; I can see the futures and what events might shape them. I do not see what will happen, only what could. However..." she paused and continued slowly. "...there are times where I can be fairly certain of what is to come, even in complex scenarios. I am not pleased to admit what happened today was one of those instances."

"What? _You knew!?_ " he exclaimed.

"I did. Almost every vision I had was of the town being swallowed by a white fog and undead creatures rising out of it. The only thing I was unsure about was _when_ this would happen, so I told Kaeta and he ordered the guards to be given extra shifts in preperation."

Rell looked back at the bed. "So...what about us? Did you know if anyone was going to be hurt?"

Dei frowned. "I did, yes. And...Rell, I'm sorry. I knew it was going to be Fuga."

He slowly turned to face her. "You what...?" he asked quietly.

"Every time, Fuga ended up taken one way or another. Someone else was occasionally caught in a fire, or killed by the skeletons, and other times everyone ended up mostly safe, but Fuga...he was always taken away."

Rell grabbed the front of Dei's robes and pulled her close. " _You knew he would be taken and you did nothing!?"_ he snapped. Kaeta and Aiki stepped forward, but stopped when Dei put her hand up.

"No, it's alright," she said. She then turned back to Rell. "You have every right to be angry, and I will accept whatever harm you wish to inflict upon me. But understand that I did nothing not because I didn't want to, I did nothing because there's nothing I could do. It's very rare that nearly every vision has the same result. I saw Fuga placed at the gates, on patrol, even in his own home. No matter where he was, they always got to him. I went through everything I could think of trying to get to a future where he stayed safe, but nothing worked. In the end, the result never changed."

His grip on her robes tightened. "There must have been something more you could have done! Anything!"

"I'm afraid not. If striking me makes you feel better, then do it," she said calmy. He wanted to hit her, to let out even an ounce of his frustration and grief, but looking at the old woman's somber face, he couldn't bring himself to do it. She didn't want this any more than he did. He let go of her robes and stood up.

"I'm taking a walk," he grunted, ignoring Aiki and Kaeta's attempts to stop him. As he closed the door behind him, he heard two people rushing out from another room. His parents leaped forward, capturing him in their embrace.

"Oh, thank Din," his mother sighed. "When I heard you were carried back, I thought you had been hurt! We wanted to wait inside, but they told us to stay out here to avoid crowding you."

"Something about _flinging ourselves on you_ if we stayed," his father grumbled.

"I'm fine," he said, pulling himself out of their hug.

"No, you're not. We heard about Fuga," said his father. "Rell, words can't express how sorry we are. If there's anything we can do-"

"You can leave me alone for a while," he replied. "I'm sorry, just...I need some time to think." He pushed past his parents who gave each other a scared look but otherwise did nothing. Once out of his house, he was able to see the damage that had been caused; although the fires had been put out and whatever bodies there may have been removed, it was clear there would be a long period of time before the village fully recovered. Houses ranged from having a few windows broken, to being slightly burnt, to having vanished completely. Strangely, the fog had not vanished, though there did not seem to be any more of the skeletons wandering around. As he passed the village gate, which was one of the few places that was mainly unharmed, Rell briefly stared at the spot where Fuga had been dragged into the ground before continuing until he reached the tree looking out over the mountain. There, at least, was an area that was clear of fog and had remained untouched. He sat on the edge and looked up at the sky, gently touching his armband.

"Not that long ago, we were sitting here like nothing was wrong," he said aloud. "Just happy to be able to talk like we used to. This spot wasn't anything special, but we made it special. Maybe it's stupid, but even when I came here alone, I always felt like you were sitting next to me." He glanced to his left, almost able to see the other Rito lying down beside him, his hands behind his head like always. "You always looked so comfortable. Anywhere else you were always so rigid, but here, we could just be ourselves. We didn't have to hide anything from each other."

Fuga's last words before the attack appeared in his mind.

 _I have to tell you something. Rell, I..._

"What were you going to say...?" he asked, looking back up at the sky. "I guess it's too late now. I'll probably never find out. Hell, we might not even see each other again. Ugh, damn it..." he felt himself starting to cry again. "You wouldn't be crying if it were me. You'd already be out looking for me, wouldn't you?"

Suddenly, that thought sank in. If Fuga would look for him, then...

He stood up. They wouldn't like it, but he couldn't let that stop him. Rell went back to his house, trying to come up with some way to convince them along the way. By the time he arrived in front of the door to his room, however, he had not come up with anything.

"Come inside, Rell. I suspect you have something to tell us," came Dei's voice. He opened the door and entered. The others were still inside, though they were now joined by his parents.

"I guess she really can see the future," Rell's father said.

Rell nodded. "You should know what I'm about to say, then, Dei."

"I believe it's best if _you_ say it," she replied.

Rell took a deep breath. "Alright. I thought about it, and I've decided I'm going to go look for Fuga."

"No!" his mother said instantly.

"Absolutely not!" his father chimed in.

"Please, calm yourselves," said Dei. "Let me handle this." The two gave her a scathing look.

"You had better know how to convince him to stop," his mother growled.

Ignoring her comment, Dei turned to Rell. "What do you hope to accomplish by doing this?"

"What do you think? Save Fuga, obviously!" Rell growled.

"Why you? Why not me, or your father? We'd be better equipped to handle what's out there," she pointed out.

"Are you saying I'm weak?"

"No. The world is not divided into weak and strong, Rell. You are strong, but we are stronger. That's simply how it is. So why does it have to be you?"

Rell looked away. "Because...it's my fault," he muttered. "There are so many things I could've done better. I could've gotten here faster, I could've refused to go sit by the cliff with him. But I didn't do any of those, and now he's gone. It's my responsibility."

"And what of the town guards? Do you not think it was their responsibility to protect him?" Dei asked.

"They aren't me!" he exclaimed. "Fuga said he wanted to protect me. The village was important to him, he said, but...I mattered more. He would do anything to make sure I was safe, and I need to do the same for him. He's my best friend, and I'm his. If we can't protect each other, then what's the point?"

The four adults shared a glance.

"What?" Rell asked.

"Oh, nothing," said Dei, waving her hand dismissively. "More importantly, would you be willing to let one of us go with you?"

"If you have to, at least let me go too, or your father, or even Elder Dei!" his mother pleaded. "Just don't go by yourself!"

He shook his head. "I have to do this alone. It's my fault, and I'm going to make it right. Alone."

"But...aren't you scared?" she asked.

Rell laughed bitterly. "Scared? I'm _terrified_! Who knows where I'll end up having to go or what I'll find? But you want to know what's weird? I don't really care. If it means getting Fuga back, I'll do anything."

His parents glared at Dei again. "Do something!" they hissed.

Dei sighed. "I didn't want to tell you this, especially with your parents in the room, but I've exhausted my other possible futures. This is the only way I know I can stop you." She looked straight into his eyes. Rell felt a chill run down his spine. "Rell. If you do this, you will die."

The room fell silent. The others alternated between staring at Dei and at Rell in differing levels of shock. His parents were the most affected, covering their mouths in horror.

"You...can't be serious," his mother finally whispered. "He'll actually...die?"

"Yes. It is not a metaphor or analogy of any sort," she said. "If Rell decides to attempt Fuga's rescue, he will be killed."

His father cleared his throat. "Yes, well, I believe that settles it. Rell will, obviously, stayin the-"

"Will Fuga make it home?" Rell interrupted.

"I...what?" said Dei, taken aback.

"I asked if, despite me dying, Fuga will get home safe."

Dei said nothing.

"Answer me!" he growled.

"...yes. Most futures show him returning here," she finally said. "What you must understand, though, is that every future shows you dying, and it's always the same way." She shivered. "That image is a curse I will never rid myself of. A terrible, evil entity with a grin more wicked than anything natural should be capable of. I cannot tell if it is a man or a woman. Perhaps true evil has no gender."

"What does this thing do to Rell!? What does it do to my son!? _Tell me!"_ his mother shouted.

"Rell fights them. I can't see why or who challenges who. All I see is that Rell is defeated by them, each future ending in the exact same way. Every possibility, every choice Rell can make on his journey leads to the same outcome. I would rather not recount exactly how what happens in the end. It's...not something any of you would like to hear. The only future I see where Rell lives is the one where he stays in the village."

Kaeta, who had been listening silently, finally spoke. "You merely see the possibilities, though, correct? Is it not possible that there is just a factor you're missing?"

"No," she replied. "In most cases, I see a future that doesn't fit in with the others. Even the circumstances around Fuga's kidnapping would change at times. That is not the case; every future, every possible route or action Rell could take will lead to the same exact demise at the hands of that...demon. You must believe me when I say I looked for an alternative; as soon as I saw what would happen to Fuga, I knew Rell would be affected. I suspected he would want to rescue his friend and began looking into what would happen when he does. It was a month ago that I talked to you about this, yes? That whole month, I searched for an answer and found none other than that Rell's fate will be absolute: Fuga may come back, but Rell will most certainly die."

"Rell, you can't seriously be thinking about going out there after what she just said," his father grunted.

Rell said nothing.

"You know you're going to die if you go! So why go at all? Let someone else save Fuga! Or let him save himself! Din knows he's strong enough to do it!"

He remained silent. A moment later, he grabbed his bow and quiver and opened the door.

"Rell? Where are you going?" Kaeta asked.

"To save my friend," he said without looking back.

"Do you not understand what Dei has been telling you?" Kaeta asked. "You're going to-"

" _What, do you think I'm an idiot?_ " he snapped, turning his head to glare at Kaeta. "Do you think I'm some child who doesn't know what dying means? I'm gonna die, I get it, and you're not making this any easier by reminding me! But if I let Fuga stay out there just to keep myself safe, I'd never forgive myself! I'm going to go find him, and that's the end of it." With that, he slammed the door behind him and left the house. Every step felt heavier than the last, and his mind screamed at him to turn around, to go back to safety. By now, a few Rito had returned and called out to him as he passed, some asking if he was okay, some asking why he was armed. He ignored all of this and kept moving, forcing himself to keep walking towards the village gate as he repeated a single phrase in his mind.

 _Do it for him. Do it for him. Do it for him..._

Once at the gate, he stopped and stared out past it. A good distance ahead was the true end of the village's border, a large wooden bridge connecting their mountain and another. The second one, he had been told, was easier for non-Rito (given their lack of wings) to traverse than their own, so the bridge was built as a solution; travelers would climb the second and would have to merely cross the gap to reach them. He had never crossed it himself, nor had he ever seen anyone but the Rito cross it, and on an ordinary day he wouldn't even consider doing so himself. Today, however, was not an ordinary day by any means. He walked to the end of the bridge and stopped again, his feet refusing to move any further. He wasn't sure how long he stood there; his mind seemed to be fighting itself, his desire to save Fuga and his desire to stay alive with both equally as compelling.

 _Fuga's strong; I'm sure he could help himself._

 _What if he can't, though? And if not, what chance do I have?_

 _It doesn't matter. He needs me._

 _Or does he?_

He shook his head. "No!" he growled. "I'm going to do this. I have to."

Someone called out to him. With an annoyed sigh, he turned around to find Aiki, his parents, and both village elders crossing the bridge. His parents and Kaeta were carrying objects that had been wrapped in cloth.

"I already told you-" Rell started, but Aiki shook her head.

"We're not here to stop you," she said. "Din knows we want to, but we've realized it's impossible, and this is your choice anyway. That's why we have things we want to give you as parting gifts."

"Let's go first, honey," his father said, touching the arm of his wife. She nodded, and the two stepped forward. He unwrapped his gift, which was a round metal shield with the crest of the Hylian military in the center. "Here. This is my shield from when I was younger. I always kept it as a memento. Never thought it'd be used again, at least not like this, but I'll feel just a little better knowing you have it with you."

He helped Rell fasten it behind his back and nodded to his wife, who revealed her own present: a leather bag that was bulging in several places. "I wasn't sure what to give you, but it won't be easy out there. I know you can take care of yourself, but if I can make it even slightly easier for you, I'm happy," she said. "It's full of food, and it has a side pocket with some money in it."

"Now for mine," said Aiki. "I don't have an actual gift, but I give you some direction. I assume you don't have an actual plan, and we can't have you stumbling off blindly, can we?"

"I had some ideas..." Rell mumbled, which was a complete lie; he had been so wrapped up in his goal that he had never actually considered how to get there.

She rolled her eyes. "Uh-huh. Well, here's one you can add to them. When you make it to the bottom, head straight for Castle Town and ask a guard to escort you to the castle. When they ask why, say you need an audience with the king and that it's important. If you're lucky, they'll take you as far as the gates where the guards there will likely refuse to let you in. Stay as long as you possibly can, just sit down and refuse to leave until you get it if you must. You still won't, but that's fine because it's not what you want anyway; someone in the castle must know what's going on. You just need that someone to notice, and I'm sure a young Rito man asking for an audience with the king and making a fuss at the gates will give you that attention."

Everyone stared at her for a moment. She looked between them all, crossing her arms. "What?"

"That's quite detailed, Aiki. How did you come up with that?" Rell's mother asked.

"I'd like to know that as well," his father added.

"Is that important for Rell to know?" Aiki said.

"Well, I suppose not..."

"Then you don't need to know, either."

Kaeta cleared his throat. "Yes, well, I suppose it's time for Dei's and my gift, then." He unwrapped the final present, revealing a sheathed sword with a triangular blade and a leather belt. "Dei came to me some time ago and requested a sword be made with quite specific attributes and measurements. She did not tell me why, but I've realized that she must have intended it for you."

"Yes, that was the intention," Dei said. "In the event that I was unable to stop you, I thought it wouldn't hurt to make sure you had a suitable weapon of your own. Go on. See how it feels."

Rell took it and pulled the sword out, surprised at how light it was. He briefly imagined himself swinging the sword and accidentally flinging it, and he made a mental note to keep a tight grip. "Is this really okay?" he asked. "Sword aren't cheap."

"Yes, that would be where my contribution comes in," Kaeta grumbled. "I admit I was reluctant, but Dei assured me it was for a good cause, so I paid for it myself."

"You're a village elder. Couldn't you just get it for free?" Rell asked.

Kaeta laughed. "I tried, believe me. Unfortunately, the blacksmith did not see things that way. 'Either you pay, or no sword. I'll knock ten Rupees off, but that's it', she said. So I decided to just pay up, and here we are. Don't go losing it, now!"

"I won't, I promise." He sheathed the sword again and fastened the belt around his waist. He gave a small smile. "So, how do I look?" he asked, spinning around once.

"Like a grown man," his mother replied. Suddenly, she burst into tears and hugged him tightly. She was soon joined by her husband who was now crying as well.

"Y-you don't have to d-do this, Rell," his father said, trying to keep his voice steady. "Please, j-just stay home with us."

"I know you're w-worried about Fuga," his mother sobbed, "but please...! S-seeing you like that, knowing you're about t-to go fight and...and..." she was unable to finish her sentence, now crying even harder.

Rell hugged the both of them. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..." he whispered, feeling himself start to cry too. "I don't want to leave you, but I have to do this. Fuga's my friend, and I love him. If he gets hurt..."

Kaeta placed his hands on the parent's shoulders. "I understand how you must feel, but it's time. You need to let Rell go, now. There's no use in delaying."

As though it physically pained them, they pulled themselves away from their son, their tears still falling. "R-Rell? Promise me you'll c-come home," his mother said, forcing a smile. "When you do, we'll m-make sure there's some hot food on the table ready for you and Fuga!"

Her husband nodded "Yes. And you can both tell us all about your adventures."

"Guess that means it's goodbye for now, then," Aiki sighed. "I'll have to give your job to someone else while you're gone, so hurry back. I won't like having someone unfamiliar in the shop with me."

"I'll get Fuga, and then we'll come right home. I promise," he said, wiping his tears away. "Thank you all for everything. I won't let any of your gifts...or advice...go to waste."

Dei smiled warmly. "I know you won't. You've got a long road ahead of you, and I know no matter what happens, we'll always be in your heart, just as you are in ours. May the goddesses bless you on your journey."

He wanted to say more and tell them how much he loved them all, tell them how sorry he was for all of this, but he knew it would only postpone the inevitable, and every second spent not searching for Fuga could mean he's a second too late in the future. He forced himself to turn around and, with one last look at his family and friends, his village, and everything he had ever known, he stepped off the bridge and into the land of Hyrule.


End file.
